Welcome to Hard Mode
by monsterArchiver
Summary: Ever wondered what life in the Naruto world would be like? I did. I just never expected to show up with abilities similar to those in The Gamer. This is gonna be ... interesting ...
1. Tutorial 1

I opened my eyes to a cloudy, calm sky. There was something mesmerizing about watching those shapeless blobs crawl aimlessly up there. I spent a while just laying there with my hands clasped over my belly. It was a nice, relaxing moment. Not something I got to experience too often these days. Unfortunately, the moment ended too soon when a ray of sunshine broke through the clouds, right onto my face.

With a sigh, I rubbed my eyes and turned to my side...

...only to run out of ground!

The feeling of floating in the air quickly changed into fear as I flailed uselessly. Sleep vanished instantly as I twirled in the air. Something sturdy slammed onto my back, smacking the air out of my lungs. Clinging onto whatever it was in panic, I found myself dozens of feet in the air. On a tree. Slowly losing hold on my branch.

Shit Shit Shit Shit Shit!

Before I could take any meaningful action, a fit of coughing made me loosen my arms. I shut my eyes and covered my face with my arms only to slam onto a branch then another and another. Breathless and bruised, my painful descent, through branches and leaves, felt worse and worse. Sometime in my fall, I curled up helplessly and by the time I hit the ground, about the only place that didn't ache was my face.

Feeling more broken than ever before, I coughed spots of blood onto the grass next to me. When I calmed down enough to gasp a gulp of air, I rolled onto my back and opened my eyes gingerly. The canopy of trees above me was so thick I couldn't see the sky anymore. I breathed in, breathed out.

I scrunched my eyes in pain and frustration. I wasn't anywhere near a forest when I fell asleep. I was in my room, mindlessly surfing the Internet, not in some huge, cold forest. Now that I had some time to notice, I'd never seen trees like these before. Huge was a good word for them. Taller than I could estimate, with branches thick enough to hold multiple people, and powerful trunks all covered in a lot of moss. There was a strange feeling in the air. Something ominous. I closed my eyes again.

When I opened my eyes again, the forest was almost completely dark. Some beams of starlight broke through the canopy, but the majority of my surroundings were filled by a murky darkness. I shivered as a small breeze tore away what little warmth I had, but noticed a distinct lack of agony. Sure, I still felt like chewed, beaten gum, but I was in one piece and as I just found out, capable of standing. Too bad the world felt like it was spinning.

I sat against a nearby tree and sighed in frustration. This sucked! Lost in some forest and in too much pain to think straight. I mean, how'd I even get here? Where was here? Damn.

A gentle ping, very much out of place, echoed through the forest. Reaching for my cell phone instinctively yielded nothing. I was in my pajamas with nothing in them after all. I sat up straighter and blinked through the mist in my eyes to see nothing out of place. Another ping, just above me, forced a gasp of surprise out of me.

A question literally hung in the air: " _Do you want to start the tutorial?"_ It was In Cambria of all things! Below it, were a " _Yes"_ and a " _No,"_ all inside what seemed to be lightly tinted, blue glass. I couldn't believe it. That was a straight up game window.

A slow chill made its way up spine. The only times I'd seen or heard something like this was through fiction stories. Did that mean I was stuck in one now? Everything up to now's been so real though. I stood up and hesitantly reached for the panel. There were so many questions I wanted to think about, but judging by this panel, I was already part of this - whatever this was.

Damn. Didn't really have much of a choice really. I poked the " _Yes."_

The panel immediately dissolved into shiny dust followed by a couple of celebratory pings. The glowing dust slowly concentrated into another panel. With what felt like deliberate suspense, the panel was completed and words began inking themselves into existence. This was actually happening!

I squinted at the noticeably smaller font and began to read, "Welcome to Hard Mode."

...

Hard mode?


	2. Tutorial 2

Living life as a game was far from the worst thing I could imagine going through. Sure, falling off a tree was a hell of a first introduction to this world, but how many people could ever say their life turned into a literal game? This was definitely a good thing.

Right?

I shook my head and focused back on the translucent panel.

 _Welcome to hard mode._

 _The following messages are meant to inform you of your current core mechanics. Whether you acquire more depends entirely on the actions you take after starting._

Alright, starting out simple was good. I pressed the " _Continue"_ on the lower right corner of the panel. The words on the panel shifted into new sentences.

 _The following three words will provide access to their respective panel. You may access these panels by poking the words or speaking them out loud._

 _Status_ _Skills_ _Quests_

Speaking out loud may not be the best idea, but after taking a look at my empty surroundings, I couldn't resist saying something. In particular, " **Status**." A second panel popped up with its own cheerful ping.

 _Name: Jose a Standard Civilian_

 _Level: 1 (0.00%)_

 _HP:_ _21/100_

 _Stamina:_ _50/100_

 _Strength:_ _10_

 _Dexterity:_ _10_

 _Endurance:_ _10_

 _Wisdom:_ _10_

 _Intelligence:_ _10_

 _Charisma:_ _10_

 _Luck:_ _10_

 _Condition:_ _Heavily Wounded_

I winced after seeing the low hit points. That along with " _Heavily Wounded"_ probably explained why I felt like chewed gum. Pressing " _Standard Civilian"_ and then " _Heavily Wounded"_ resulted in another pair of smaller panels popping up just above the terms. They mentioned that my standard abilities equaled that of a civilian my age and that my various wounds were likely to get worse with exertion.

I wasn't sure if I should be mad or glad my abilities all started out as 10. That was a pretty average number in the table top RPGs I remembered playing. Went hand in hand with the title next to my name I suppose. I wonder how I could raise them.

Shrugging, I flicked the newer panels away, making them dissolve. Once only the original was left, I pressed " _Skills."_

 _0/2 Skills_

 _(No skills)_

 _1 Unlocked_

 _Pain Resistance_ _Level: 1 (0.00%)_ _Passive_

 _You've survived a deadly situation despite an incredible amount of pain. Aren't you lucky!_

This panel was more confusing than the last, but still pretty minimalistic. Wondering what the skill meant by " _Passive,"_ I poked it and instantly felt a slight relief. My eyes widened as I stared at the panel again.

 _1/2 Skills_

 _Pain Resistance_ _Level: 1 (0.00%)_ _Passive_

 _You've survived a deadly situation despite an incredible amount of pain. Aren't you lucky!_

 _Ignore (10% * LEVEL) of pain._

 _0 Unlocked_

 _(No skills)_

I rubbed my eyes in frustration. That was a mistake. The minmaxer in me was definitely not happy. I dismissed the panel. There would be time to think about that later. For now, I poked the last of the words on the original panel. As the " _Quest"_ opened, a celebratory ping announced the presence of another panel, covering up its predecessor. The single sentence on the newest one made me pause.

 _Congratulations on completing the tutorial!_

That was it!? As I finished that thought, the panel dissolved, revealing another surprise.

 _1 Started_

 _My First Ninja Encounter!_

 _How will you survive your first meeting with a real ninja?_

 _Objective: Do not die for the next 23 hours 59 minutes 30 seconds_

 _Reward: ?_

 _0 Completed_

 _(No Quests)_

 _0 Failed_

 _(No Quests)_

A heartbeat later something cold and sharp pricked my throat. My limbs felt frozen and I could barely breath as a figure simply appeared in front of me. No noise and completely still. Had it always been standing there? Covered by a knee length, black cloak and a white mask vaguely resembling a cat, the figure stepped closer and that's when it clicked. That was an Anbu. From Naruto. I was in the Naruto world!?

The figure stopped an arm length's away and spoke with cold, obvious suspicion, "You recognize me?"


	3. Tutorial 3

The pressure keeping me still lowered enough for my lungs to work properly. Taking a large gasp, I stared at the cloaked, cat Anbu. I tried my best to stop myself from shivering, "You're a n-ninja." Not the most eloquent response, but in my defense, tonight was not my best night.

The only response I got was a quiet snicker somewhere behind me. Cat was once again completely still, creepy animal mask directly pointed at my face. Even with the cloak covering his body, something about Cat gave me the impression he was full of tension. I did not want to upset him! He probably expected me to say something else actually. Great. "O-Okay look. I've been lost for, well, I'm not sure how long. I'm injured, very badly and all I want at this point is a safe place to rest and think."

If I hadn't been staring at Cat so intently, I would've missed the slight tilt of his head. The thing at my neck pressed harder and something warm began oozing. My eyes widened and I frantically whispered, "I'm not dangerous."

The snickering behind me returned, "Without chakra you're nothing."

"But I have something you need!" My brain took a moment to catch up after that sentence left my mouth, and judging by the sudden clarity I felt, they were taken back as well. How much could I trust real ninjas? These guys were probably from the Hidden Leaf considering the huge forest and from what the manga showed, the leaf was the most reasonable of the villages. Still, until I knew more about the current setting, I really couldn't let them know just how much I really knew. Just thinking about what Orochimaru or Danzo could do with a vague wikipedia's worth of information was enough to make me nauseous.

Cat closed the distance between us and very effortlessly picked me up with one arm to the throat. He was my height. Squeezing right on my cut, more pain blossomed. A single word brought back the tension, "Well?"

"I know things you're Hokage could use." This intimidating tactic was frustratingly effective as well as just painful enough to keep me from thinking too much. Were they making me tell the truth somehow? "I can't talk about it here though b-because It's about his student, Jiraiya." Whatever this was, half-truths were fine apparently.

Cat didn't respond by but Snickers did, "This could be a trap Cat." They actually call themselves by their masks. Huh.

I couldn't turn my head, so I settled for staring at Cat again. The mask actually helped with that. I don't think I could've stared down an actual assassin holding me by the throat. The mask though, took some of the person away, some of the danger. Probably also helped that I could think clearly again. "C-Can you really afford to take the chance that it's not?" Considering how the manga ended, they could.

Cat gave another of his head tilts to whoever was behind me. Before something smacked me into unconsciousness, a panel filled my vision for a brief moment.

 _Skill Unlocked: Bluff_

 _They actually believed you about Jiraiya!? Huh, congrats._


	4. Tutorial 4

I woke up to a strong grip shaking my shoulder harshly. I tried scrambling away, but something cold held my arms and legs in place. I looked down and saw those somethings were manacles attached to a sturdy wooden chair. "...what?" My voice was so hoarse I almost didn't recognize it as my own. Whatever was shaking me stopped after I spoke. That's when I took a look around the room.

I was in a small, roughly 15 by 20 foot room with bright walls and a dark wooden floor. My chair looked heavy and was very uncomfortable. Strange swirls were carved on the chair's legs. Similarly, a square table in front of me also had those strange swirls on its legs. The chair and table were bolted to the floor. A door without a door handle stood on the wall farthest from me. Small potted ferns flanked the said door. If it wasn't for the lack of windows or the heavy restraints, the room would almost feel cozy.

"Glad to see you awake." I twitched at the friendly voice to my side. Moving to and sitting on the chair opposite me, a man wearing a Leaf forehead protector as a bandanna over his head placed a clipboard on the table. He took a pencil out of one of the many pockets on his grey suit and quickly scribbled something down. He looked up at me, eyes hidden behind a constant glare from his rectangular glasses, and sent me a warm smile. "Some of your injuries had our doctors worried you know. You had some of them working an extra shift, but don't worry, they did a good a job."

Now that he mentioned it, my back didn't feel ready to snap anymore. Actually, the fact that I wasn't in some dungeon was promising. Not ideal by any means but definitely better than a lot of other possibilities. "...I have… a lot of questions..." Smooth.

Bandanna nodded and pulled a glass of water from underneath the desk. "Figured you would. The thing is though, we have some questions too." He added a straw from somewhere and placed it right in the middle of the table. I couldn't help but notice my mouth was horribly dry. "So how about a trade then? I'll ask a question, then you can ask one too. Water's complementary."

Oh man. Whoever organized this was trying really hard to soften me up. What I really needed was more time to think, time to come up with a plan. I nodded as I murmured, "Okay, but… any chance I could… go to the bathroom first?"

Sympathy flashed across Bandanna's face. "Sorry. I'm afraid I can't let you use the bathroom yet. We have to get through the first set of questions before that. Big boss' orders." He was good. That looked down right sincere. I shrugged and nodded. "Right. Let's start with the basics. What's your name?"

Well, what to do? Just enough to answer the question might be the best here. Hopefully. "Jose." I almost sighed when I didn't manage to put the accent on the last syllable. I could really use that glass of water.

Bandanna nodded and scribbled on his clipboard, "Got it. I'm Mozuku by the way. So, what's your first question?"

"Why the… restraints?"

"We've had people in your place panic and hurt themselves before. Others just coming out of surgery need extra support to keep from falling." My raised eyebrow probably told him exactly what I thought of that. He held up a hand nonchalantly in a placating manner. "Honest. We wanted to play it safe. Next question then, what's your birthday?"

"January 11." I nodded towards his head protector, although it probably came out looking like some strange spasm. "I'm guessing I'm in... the Hidden Leaf, but what exactly... is this place?"

"The village's intelligence division." Huh. I think that was the place the village interrogated and tortured people in the manga. Was someone from the intelligence division allowed to just come out and say it? Glad to know it wasn't some Root underground cell though. At least I hope it wasn't. If I remembered right, this building was made sometime after the first or second Hokage. Definitely after the first though.

"Jose?" I looked up at Mozuku after he said that word twice. Oh, he was referring to me. Hearing my name with no accent from someone else felt really strange. Especially here and now. "Age?"

"Sorry." I took a deep breath. Had to focus some more, "21. Is the Hokage available to speak with?"

This time, Mozuku raised an eyebrow. "He's not. Not now anyway." So the hokage's not Tsunade either. "Doctors took your blood type, height, and weight, so there's only one question left actually. Where are you from?"

Tension filled the air. This must've been what he was leading up to. Clever. I did my best not to react, but I couldn't help grip my chair harder than normal. I really needed more time, "I'd rather keep that to myself for now."

Mozuku scribbled much more than the single sentence I said before looking up, "Noted." He stood up and approached me with a calm step. Would have actually made me feel better if he'd made some noise. "Alright, let me unlock those for you and then you can follow me to the bathroom."

After making a seal with one hand, my restraints clattered to the floor. Mozuku motioned me to get up and to my surprise, the only thing I felt when I did so was a whole lot of soreness. I grabbed the drink in front of me and began to follow Mozuku.

The walk was exceedingly short since the bathroom was literally across the hall. Really? Mozuku sent me a shrug when I said as much. The inside of the bathroom was tiny, just a sink, a mirror, a toilet, an incredibly tiny air vent, and no windows. That was fine though. I finally had some privacy.

Sitting down, I whispered, " **Status** ," into my sleeve. Wait, someone changed my clothes. I mean, of course they would, but that really didn't matter right now. I took a deep breath, had to focus. Looking over the status panel, I saw health was up to 62 and my condition was " _Lightly Wounded_ " now. Stamina was full and the percentage next to my level had a 25%. Everything else was the same. Those doctors definitely helped, but this left me with a lot of questions. Mainly, I wondered if I had any health regen. Something to keep in mind for the next time I open this panel.

I dismissed that panel and said, " **Quests**." The only difference on this panel was the timer had advance to " _17 hours 24 minutes 12 seconds._ " I'd been unconscious for about six and a half hours which was interesting but not too helpful. I still didn't know what those doctors or Anbu did to me. I doubt taking a blood test was the extent of it. I suppressed a shiver and moved on.

After saying " **Skills** ," I noticed pain resistance was now level 2. Handy, I suppose. The new unlocked skill, " _Bluff_ ," deserved more attention though. Knowing so little about how my abilities work, I'd rather not take it. On the other hand, the chances that I'll be going through some more questions seemed pretty high. I doubted it'd be so simple a second time. I guess it came down to how confident I felt I'd be on persuading trained interrogators into thinking what I wanted them to think. With a groan, I clicked on " _Bluff_." A victorious ping filled the room and the skills screen refreshed.

 _2/2 Skills_

 _Pain Resistance Level: 2 (20.00%) Passive_  
 _You've survived a deadly situation despite an incredible amount of pain. Aren't you lucky!_  
 _Ignore (10% * LEVEL) of pain._

 _Bluff Level: 1 (0.00%) Passive_  
 _You somehow convinced a trained assassin not to kill you by bending the truth!_  
 _Chances of successfully bluffing increase by (5% * LEVEL)_

 _0 Unlocked_

 _(No skills)_

Alright. That'll have to do for now. I've been in here for more than 10 minutes. Quickly using the bathroom for its intended purpose, I washed up and headed out. Thankfully, Mozuku didn't mention taking too long. Once I was seated in the room again, something like a small breeze filled the room. A swirl of leaves was my only indication that something was wrong. Before I could think on it though, a monstrous man stood in front of me. Towering over me, he wore an open black trench coat that would've been ridiculous on anyone else. His snarl was so vicious I almost didn't take notice of the numerous scars on his face or the leaf head protector he wore as a bandanna. He stomped to the chair opposite me but didn't sit. Never taking his unblinking eyes off of me, like some twisted predator would, he very slowly patted Mozuku on the shoulder. To his credit, Mozuku only looked like he was about throw up a little as he left the room. The man in front of me was seated when I turned back, eyes full of brimming anger, "Name's Ibiki kid. Play time's over."


	5. Tutorial 5

I took several deep breaths, trying to get a grip on my panic. What did I know about Ibiki? I knew he was dangerous. Really, all ninja were, but this guy specialized in getting information out of other ninja. Ibiki was angry. I had no idea why, and he wasn't doing anything to hide it. I had the distinct impression that saying the wrong thing would end horribly for me. Unfortunately, Ibiki was cunning. He had to be since he was in charge of the village's interrogation and torture squad. He'd probably see through my lies.

Before I could think further, the discarded manacles leapt off the floor and onto my torso. With blinding speed, the manacles clamped themselves near my shoulders with chains wrapping themselves around my arms, core, and legs. I couldn't see where all the chain was coming from as my neck and forehead were gripped as well, forcing my head to look forward. The metal forced me to stand abruptly. Then, the chains raised my right arm until it was fully extended, pointed away from me, and parallel to the ground.

When the chains stopped moving, Ibiki methodically pulled a kunai from his trench coat and neatly placed it on the table in front of him. He let the metallic cling die out before he pulled another and another until a total of six kunai were lined up, pointing at me. Ibiki sat unblinking for a moment, anger still bubbling beneath the surface. He never took his eyes away from me. His words felt like punches, "What are your plans?"

"I don't have any." Yet. He narrowed his eyes at my quick reply.

"Who are you in contact with?"

"No one." He snarled this time, clasping his gloved hands together hard enough for me to hear the leather creaking.

"Where are you from?"

I grimaced, but forced myself to stare at him. When I didn't answer, the chains around my stomach and legs tightened sharply. Seemed Ibiki wasn't going to let me think of something. "A place that doesn't exist. T-That I'll never be able to go back to. I..." A sudden flash and a sharp thunk stopped me from talking anymore. After a blink, the top of my hand exploded in pain. Blood, had to be, started dripping on the floor, adding a new sound to the room. With wide eyes and a nauseous stomach, my brain finally registered that the first kunai was gone from the table. How!?

Ibiki leaned forward and even while sitting, he loomed over me. His angry face did not fit the calm voice he started using, "Every time you take more than a second to answer, I throw another. Every time you lie, I throw another. Every time you don't tell me the full truth, I throw another. Now answer the question."

Fuck! "It doesn't matter where..." The second kunai disappeared and the top of my forearm began burning.

Shit! "I told you, I can't go back..." The third kunai also disappeared, and the bottom of my forearm started hurting.

Goddam it! "Fine! Look for a place called the USA. You won't find it in any of your maps. Not now, not ever. It may as well never have existed for all the good it's fucking existence is doing to help me answer your question!"

Ibiki didn't even blinked before he asked another question, "What were you doing in our forests?"

No end to this. "Sleeping. I didn't even know the village was close by. Why don't you ask me what my intentions towards the village are." The fourth kunai disappeared and my bicep flared with pain. That hadn't broken any of his rules!

"...are your intentions towards the village?" I almost missed that.

"Before today? I had none. Now," I took breath. Quickly, what did I think of the village? How did I feel about it? It was broken, but not completely. And just like that, I knew what to say, "I want to help."

That got a blink. "Be more specific."

I had his attention, but I needed more time. "Alright, I will! but I need just one thing first. A..." The fifth kunai disappeared and my shoulder, the part not covered by the manacle, burst with pain.

"You're not in a position to make any demands."

I couldn't help it, I shut my eyes. "A pencil and paper! To write with." When I didn't feel my face burn, I took a shaky breath and softly said, "Please."

I heard the last remaining kunai scraping against the table. I twitched violently when Ibiki yelled. "Mozuku! Pencil and paper. Now!" In the same breath but more quiet, he asked, "What do you want to tell the Hokage?"

I opened my mouth, but audibly shut it. I wanted this to end so badly, I'd almost said everything! Anything! But if I did, it'd be over. I nodded to myself, "Many things, including how to keep Jiraiya alive."

Heavy silence enveloped the room. I wasn't sure how long I stayed propped up against my will, eyes closed, and arm bleeding profusely. I noticed my stomach was churning, ready to throw up whatever it held. My legs were shaking horribly. I pushed all that away as much as I could to the back of my mind. Instead, I put everything I had into thinking what I was going to write.

At some point, the door slid open. The sound of crinkly paper almost made me cry in relief. Before I knew it, the chains yanked me back down onto the chair. My right arm, despite the bleeding and pain, was moved over the table. Something slim and wooden, pencil I think, was pressed against my palm and I gripped it like my life depended on it. It probably did.

Ibiki's voice returned, this time, icy and suspicious. "Write."

Carefully, I hovered the pencil over the paper placed beneath my hand. I had just enough strength not to collapse, my hand shook, and blood dripped everywhere. And somehow, I managed it. Ibiki snatched the paper when I was done.

 _The village is compromised. Not from outside, but from inside. That's why I can't say what I know out loud. ears everywhere._

 _You don't trust me, but I trust you. You'd do almost anything for the Leaf. Use that because I need you to work with me here._

 _Can't just read mind. Defenses._

Ibiki's angry face stayed the same, calloused and ferocious, but his eyes flashed through different emotions. Surprise, disbelief, distrust, doubt, more surprise, anger, and after a long time, interest. I let the breath I didn't I know I was holding go. Ibiki stared at me, angry but purposely, "You're the biggest breach in security we've had in years." He put the paper down again, empty side up.

A chance. I started writing again and pushed the paper his way.

 _Burn this when we're done using it. Too risky to leave_ _any_ _traces on paper. I'll answer questions. Truthfully. But I need the Hokage here. Him, you, and Shukaku. the smartest and most cunning people in the village can help verify what I have to say._

 _Unfortunately, the three of you together will make others notice. Can all of us meet together where_ _no one else_ _will listen?_

A wave of fatigue sent my head spinning. Was I losing too much blood?

Ibiki tore the pencil out of my hand and scribbled something. Pity. I didn't get to see him react that time. He put the paper in front of my face for a moment. A single question hung among my scribbles and blood.

 _What are you?_

That was an easy one. Dropping the pencil I got back a couple of times, I wrote my response before passing out.

 _An ally_


	6. Tutorial 6

Waking up in strange places was getting old. Fortunately, this time I was in a real bed in what looked like a hospital room. If the sterile smell hadn't given it away, the IV next to me surely would have. As the lull of sleep slowly left me, I began to notice small irritations. The sheets were thin, my new hospital gown itchy, and the steady drip of the IV was making my skin crawl. The light from the window was also obnoxiously bright, but when my eyes adjusted, I got my first look at the Hokage monument. From the First to the Fourth Hokage, the rock faces were much more detailed than the manga and anime depictions. Each face held a clear emotion of its own, from stern to confident. I could see how some people could feel comforted by their gaze, but tt was also pretty Big Brother of the Leaf.

Looking at the faces made me realize I'd been spouting about Jiraiya as if the Third Hokage was the current one. I'd guessed it right, since no one corrected me, but that was a pretty stupid oversight. A dry chuckle left my lips at that.

Soon after, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi, appeared in a swirl of leaves, flanked by Ibiki and Shikaku. The Hokage was dressed in his formal clothes, a white and red kimono, tied by a white sash, with that ridiculous square hat. He looked bemused, emanating a strong grandfatherly vibe. He looked so peaceful that it was hard to believe he was in charge of a village full of killers. Ibiki wore the same clothes as last time, but he looked relaxed, no trace of that anger I'd seen. Shikaku had black hair styled like a pineapple with a pointy goatee. He wore the standard shinobu uniform: black pants and black, long sleeve shirt with a green flak jacket. Interestingly, while Ibiki had two scars running vertically on his face, Shikaku had two scars running horizontally on his. Neat.

Although he looked like he'd rather be anywhere else right now, Shikaku was the first to speak, in a very matter-of-fact tone, "We've come to the conclusion that you're not a spy or a distraction. There's too many inconsistencies for either. Even though you've set off a lot of red flags, fact is, we don't know what you are. That makes you a potential threat." Shikaku shrugged as he finished. Was he trying to to tell me something?

Ibiki picked up, hands loose in his pockets. "I'm sure you could imagine how seriously we take threats to the village. Keep that in mind while you take your chance to convince us you're worth keeping. Don't screw it up."

Sarutobi took a step closer and despite his soft voice, his presence filled the room. "I understand you chose your words carefully with Ibiki, but if we are to become allies, I expect you to be truthful now." I nodded. I guess that made sense. Before I knew it, Sarutobi was all business. The grandfather replaced with the commander, "You mentioned the village was compromised from the inside. Before anything else, we need to know what you meant by that."

I took a deep breath, eager to answer but mindful to keep it on point. "Okay. But before I start, I need to know that no one else is listening or could listen to what I'm going to say."

The Hokage nodded, "We're clear."

Well, here went everything. "The compromise comes from a man named Danzo. I'll assume that all of you know him. He, well, he wanted to be the Hokage very badly in the past. In fact, he started a secret branch of the Anbu called Root to take care of all the, umm, undesirable and nasty missions a clean village shouldn't do. You, that is the Hokage, told Danzo to dissolve Root based on some pretty horrible things Danzo carried out. Namely, the Uchiha massacre. Here's the thing though, Danzo never dissolved Root. It's still around, and it's growing."

"What proof do you have?"

"None, but Danzo has plenty. Specifically, his injuries do. The bandaged eye actually has a Sharingan implanted in it. The arm has about a dozen of them."

All three ninja looked thoughtful. Judging by the lack of suspicion or reaction, they weren't surprised by the possibility. Shikaku turned to the Hokage and asked, "Sir, who cleaned up the dead Uchiha? Did anyone keep track of their eyes?"

The Hokage was starting to look a bit pale. His voice sounded far away, "Anbu. I dispatched teams of them to dispose of all the bodies. And no, no one kept track of the eyes. Everything was supposed to be destroyed."

Ibiki shook his head as he said, "Danzo would only need a single operative there to smuggle some out."

Judging by the increasingly ugly look on their faces, they were not going to like what came next, "On the chance that you believe what I'm saying, be very careful approaching Root or Danzo. The Anbu under him have seals at the back of their tongues that make it impossible for them to speak about Root or Danzo to non-Root members. As for Danzo himself, all those Sharingan must be enhancing his perceptive abilities. Might explain why he gets away with things so well. Anyway, he has a crazy ability. I don't remember the name, but by sacrificing one of the Sharingan, he can, uh, make his imagination into reality? Think of it like this. Deadly wounds disappear. Depleted chakra gets restored. Deadly technique coming his way? Never existed."

The Hokage was definitely starting to look his age, "Shikaku, how would you recommend we proceed?"

While the Hokage started to appear older and more frail, Ibiki was slowly clenching his fists. Shikaku was the odd one out in his reaction, or rather, his lack of one. He looked thoughtful but no more so than hearing a list of items to buy at a store. He took a moment to answer, voice never wavering. "First, we need to verify the information is true." He turned to me. "Reading your mind would be the quickest way, but you have objections to that. Mind elaborating?"

I guess it was my turn to grimace, not like I had much choice at the moment or desire to lie. Now, how to explain it in a way that makes sense? "It'd be pretty cliche to say I can see the future, but I do know a lot about what should happen. I can see you're already doubting me, but it's true. Hear me out for a second. I have a lot of information on people, events, and places. Past, present, and a future. The problem is that I also know a lot of what ifs, potential, I guess you could say, deviations on how things should be. These deviations are so numerous, it'd be terribly hard to make sense of anything I know without knowing what's supposed to happen."

The Hokage scowled, Shikaku raised an eyebrow, and Ibiki chuckled roughly. The latter spoke, "Like a time traveler?"

I shrugged. I guess that worked. "Not quite, but close enough."

The Hokage turned to Ibiki, "You're confident the truth serum was potent enough?"

What?

Ibiki nodded, "Gave him the strongest dosage a civilian can handle. Sorry kid, had to make sure you weren't twisting your words again."

Shikaku said, "Can you prove that you know this information without endangering anything?"

Now that they brought this thing about the truth serum up, I tried saying no, going against that need to let them know, but the words got stuck in my throat. Who would've thought ninjas had access to truth serum? Actually, it's kind of stupid to think they wouldn't in retrospect. They probably had even more ways to make me tell the truth in all honesty. I felt my hurt arm itch at that was unsettling thought. "I can." May as well play along for now. If I can't trust these three, who could I trust, right? Wait, was that the serum making me think that? Better tell them trivia, just in case. "I know Minato married Kushina, that she was the Nine Tails jinchuriki, and that Naruto's their son. Oh yeah, and Jiraiya's the godfather that came up with the name.

"I know that Kakashi blames himself for the death of his teammate Obito to the point of obsessively visiting a certain grave. I also know Kakashi's Sharingan belonged to Obito.

"I know Itachi's innocent and that he's gathering intelligence on a group of rogue ninja." I could see their dubious expressions slowly shifting. Maybe if I gave them one big thing to think about? I turned to Sarutobi for this one. "I know how you let Orochimaru go when you could've killed him and that he's going to kill you." Alright, maybe two things. Wait, shit! That was a big one. I clamped my mouth before I could start talking again.

The Hokage held my gaze with a pained expression. "What are your intentions?"

Easy question. "I want to help. I know so much about the Leaf that I want to see it turn out well."

Shikaku nodded, "Meaning it doesn't. In the future."

"That's right. You see..."

Ibiki's snarl made a small comeback, shutting me up. "I don't like this. Someone with so many secrets is as much of a resource as he is a liability. We should get everything we can out of him and dispose of him. For all our sake's." Wow, I did not remember Ibiki being that bloodthirsty.

Shikaku shook his head. "As problematic as keeping him could be, he's a much better asset alive than dead. After all, without the proper chakra levels, his mind wouldn't take mind jutsu well. Could collapse before we've even scratched the surface."

Ibiki didn't back down. "Then we keep him locked up. He can take pain well." Well fuck you too Ibiki.

Shikaku didn't argue that point. He sent me the closest thing I'd probably get to an apology via shrug, but it was clear that no matter how much he didn't like that idea, it made some amount of sense to him. So much for being the good cop. Wait a minute...

The Hokage stepped up to the foot of my bed, breaking my train of thought. "What do you get out of this?"

Another easy question. "Safety. A new place to call home. A way to use everything I know to make a difference. An opportunity to fix the problems of a place I like." The words just kept coming out. Not that I minded, but wasn't I supposed to keep talking to a minimum? Well, adding a little bit of flair wouldn't be too bad. "I told you I know what should happen, and me being here, that was definitely not supposed to happen. The more I think about it, the more I'm beginning to think that's already changed something. Ever heard that a butterfly's wings, small as they are, can cause incredibly ripples for the future? Well, I don't have to point out my existence no doubt generated way more ripples. I don't know if the changes are going to be good or bad. The more reason to keep me around, you know."

The Hokage didn't reply but the way he stepped back was answer enough. He'd made his decision.

Shikaku seemed to understand whatever that decision was. He nodded and smiled just a little, "What do you need from us right now?"

Oh thank god! I said, "Shikaku. Your son, Shikamaru. Is he a Chunin? Genin?"

"Academy student actually."

"When does he graduate?"

"If he sticks to his class, 2 years. Figured out when you are with that?"

Two years before Naruto canon started. That was a lot of time to work with! "Yeah. There's a lot of bad the village can avoid and prepare for. Like..."

Ibiki cut in, "Is there anything that needs our immediate concern?"

Huh, yeah, that's a good question. "Keeping me alive, I guess. Danzo doesn't start taking direct action until 5, 6 years from now. Things don't start getting overly complicated until roughly 2 and a half years either. I can't stress enough that this really has to stay between the four of us. Danzo, Orochimaru, and who knows what else would love to know the future."

Ibiki nodded, "Of course. Anything else?"

The light from the window was almost gone. Some stars were already peaking out. Perfect atmosphere for a dramatic mini speech. I turned to the Hokage. "I know you're a good man Sarutobi. Anyone can see that. But that's not enough. True, the ninja world needs more good people, but more than that, the world needs people like you who can stand up for their beliefs and break the cycle of hatred. Don't think you have to do that on your own either. There's people who want to help you."

I didn't see them leave. One moment all three were there and the next some twirling leaves slowly fell around the room. A few words resonated from the window, "Welcome to the Hidden Leaf Village."

Show offs.

* * *

Sometime at night, a demanding set of pings woke me up. Two panels stood out in the darkness. I quickly fell asleep again, too hurt, drugged, exhausted, and who knows what else to deal with the panels. That was a problem for future me though because right then, all that matter was that I made it!

 _Quest Passed: My First Ninja Encounter!_  
Joined the Hidden Leaf Faction  
Relationship with Sarutobi, Shikaku, and Ibiki increased  
50 Experience

Level up!  
+2 Skill slots  
+1 Ability score


	7. Hiruzen Sarutobi

Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his smoke pipe and took a long inhale. In front of him, Shikaku and Ibiki wore similar frowns. The two of them, lost in thought as much as high strung ninjas could be, stood unmoving in front of his desk. Shikaku's gaze was aimed towards the window, possibly the night sky outside the Academy. Meanwhile, Ibiki watched the nearest wall with his least damming glare. If he hadn't known them for so long, Hiruzen would have missed the way Shikaku's fingers flexed sporadically near his hidden kunais or the way Ibiki's right foot leaned forward. While some people would call those actions nervous ticks, Sarutobi knew better. He'd seen it often enough during the Wars. Ninjas in desperate need of direction.

As for the himself, Hiruzen sat seemingly at ease. His back bent slightly, arms loose, and eyes calm. It was all an illusion of course, perfected from years of practice. As irritating as presenting a falsehood to his men was, it was also a necessity. He had to be the strong one, the unyielding, the unshaken. He'd have to be their pillar once again. If not him, who could they turn to in situations like these? Prepared, Sarutobi exhaled the pipe smoke and asked, "Thoughts?"

Ibiki stepped up without hesitation. "Kid's smart and tough. As drugged as he was, he saw through the good cop, bad cop routine and made a conscious effort to give us as little information as possible. Still, he's no ninja. The subtle genjutsu we used met no resistance and his chakra levels were at a civilian's minimum even when highly agitated. He also checks out clean as far as traps go. Completing the medical tests will take my team more time, but I don't see those returning anything positive. Besides what he knows, he's no danger to the Leaf. I say we keep him."

With his colleague finished, Shikaku stepped forward. "I also think we should keep him. I doubt anyone here needs to be persuaded that his information is massively valuable. Instead, I want to point out that he clearly does not know everything about the future and that whatever we learn from him should be checked for validity as soon as possible. His origins will also need to be validated at some point. Most importantly though, if we are to act, aggressively or not, against Danzo, we'll have to set up an identity for Jose and brief him, the quicker the better. Refugee, informant, or a mix of both would work well."

Hiruzen nodded. It was good to hear that everyone was of the same mind. "There will be a lot to discuss in the upcoming weeks. Unless strictly necessary, the three of us will not meet in person. Ibiki, I need you to vet a team of Anbu. Take whatever measures you need, but try to keep them discreet. Shikaku, I need you to compile a list of information to gather from Jose as well as creating an action plan against Danzo and Root. I'll contact each of you within the week.

"Is there anything else that needs our immediate attention?"

The Jonin in front of him glanced at each other. By some unspoken agreement, Shikaku spoke first. "Jose raised a good point about his safety. We'll need someone to keep an eye on him. I'd offer to take him in for the moment, but that would only place me and my family under more scrutiny. With the Anbu potentially compromised, do we have anyone, sir?"

"I have someone in mind that I'll personally verify tonight. Jose will be looked after. Ibiki?"

"Sir, are you okay?"

For just a moment, Hiruzen was at a loss for words. Capitalizing on his silence, Ibiki continued, "Your actions and choices are very ... confrontational. I'd expect that from just about anyone else given our situation, but not you sir."

When was the last time he'd been okay? Thinking about it for a few moments, Hiruzen felt a knot form in his stomach as he realized it'd been a lifetime ago, back when he was still a student under a master of his own. For years and years Hiruzen lost the people closest to him and somewhere along the way, he'd lost the part of himself that looked forward to the future, the part of him that said things would be okay. How could he be expected to lead the village if he wasn't even aware of himself?

Shikaku's polite cough snapped Hiruzen out of his introspection. There'd be plenty of time for that later. Hiruzen narrowed his eyes and allowed his emotions free reign for once. "No, I'm not okay. For years I've watched innocent men and women charge to their deaths for any and every reason. I've seen it happen to our enemies, our allies, and even commanded so myself at times. And all for what? To learn that those sworn to keep this village safe are plotting against it. All that sacrifice, rewarded with treachery.

"No, I am not okay. I'm angry.

"I've neglected our next generation by allowing the previous ones unchecked reign. I've let my age take hold of my motivation for too long. I've turned a blind eye to certain actions until it was too late. I can't allow myself to do that anymore.

"I won't let my people suffer, now or ever, just because I've grown old. Not anymore."

After waiting for a response and receiving nothing but surprised looks, Hiruzen dismissed his ninja. Rummaging in his desk for the correct paperwork required to verify Jose's new identity, inspiration struck him as his Anbu guard stationed themselves in his office. For the first time in ages, Hiruzen slipped away. Leaving a copy of himself to start the paperwork, he flashed towards the training grounds. His men had their part to play, Hiruzen would too in time. He'd be damned if he wasn't ready when it came.


	8. Settling In 1

Author's Note: Hello everyone. Since I can't reply to reviews in a way everyone can see, I'll add short notes at the beginning of each chapter addressing questions / issues / comments. I don't want to take up too much space though, so I'll keep them brief.

The SI's abilities are similar those in The Gamer, but they've been massively downgraded (sometimes removed), hence hard mode. Things will be slow for a bit longer to keep from rushing the beginning. Still, seems like people are enjoying everything so far. Thanks for reading!

* * *

It shouldn't have come as a surprise when I woke up in a hospital bed again, but I did. Everything I could see looked so unfamiliar. As a cold sense of panic crawled up my back, I lost the ability to breathe. I tried flailing out of my sheets but everything below my neck was locked in place. I stopped struggling for a moment to recollect myself, but my quickening heartbeats broke my concentration. It felt like my heart was breaking out of my chest. That's when my lungs started to burn and with them, any sense of coherent thought. I screamed, or at least, my throat when through the motions only for nothing but a pained wheeze to come out. Soon after, black spots began filling up my vision and my stomach twisted itself in realization. I was suffocating with no way out of it.

Suddenly, a translucent panel appeared in front of my face alongside a cheery ping. My eyes widened further. "...what?" I twitched violently at the sound of some strange raspy voice. I twisted my eyes as far as they could go, but I couldn't see anyone. That meant… I could talk! And breath! I quickly sat up and threw my sheets aside, gulping delicious air. After a quick glance, I exhaled a marvelous breath when nothing looked out of place. Body, legs, feet, and everything else was still attached. When my eyes saw the scarring Ibiki's kunai left, memories of the bloody interrogation pushed their way into my mind and I almost whimpered out loud. That was still fucked up.

That blasted ping rung again. Couldn't I get a break for just a moment? Actually, I-I could probably use the distraction. Swallowing at that thought, I took a closer look at the panel.

 _Missed Updates:_

 _Unlocked the following skills:_  
 _Observe, Poison Resistance, Inspiring Speech_

That sounded important. I'd better go over all my screens just in case. Settling back onto the bed, I whispered, " **Status**."

 _Name: Jose a New Leaf Civilian  
Level: 2 (0.00%)_

 _HP: 62/100_  
 _Stamina: 100/100_

 _Strength: 09+_  
 _Dexterity: 09+_  
 _Endurance: 10+_  
 _Wisdom: 10+_  
 _Intelligence: 10+_  
 _Charisma: 11+_  
 _Luck: 10+_

 _Condition: Lightly Wounded_

Interesting. Off that bat, my new level and title stood out. Pretty self explanatory. What worried me though were the two reduced abilities. Did that happen during Ibiki's interrogation? It was the only time between my last check on the " **Status** " screen and now that involved damage. I don't remember seeing a panel, but then again, one could have easily popped up in front of my eyes and I would have missed it. Ibiki had a way of holding your attention when he wanted to.

Shaking the distracting thoughts away, I debated pressing the plus sign on either " _Strength_ " or " _Dexterity_." Surviving in the Naruto world would not be easy with a weak, slow body, but if losing points in them through damage was possible, then surely gaining them through exercise was possible too. All of that assuming I could survive to exercise of course. Increasing " _Luck_ " may be a better choice then, but in the end, I increased " _Endurance_ " to 11. Being lucky did not sound as reliable as being hardy. Plus, if I could " _Charisma_ " somehow, then I'm sure gaining " _Luck_ " could happen too.

I took a moment to notice any difference but there was none. Alright, with that done, I flicked the screen away and called up " _Skills_."

 _2/4 Skills_

 _Pain Resistance Level: 3 (10.00%) Passive_  
 _You've survived a deadly situation despite an incredible amount of pain. Aren't you lucky!_  
 _Ignore (10% * LEVEL) of pain._

 _Bluff Level: 2 (0.00%) Passive_  
 _You somehow convinced a trained assassin not to kill you by bending the truth!_  
 _Chances of successfully bluffing increase by (5% * LEVEL)_

 _3 Unlocked_

 _Inspiring Speech Level: 1 (0.00%) Active_  
 _Your words touched the heart of an emotionally crippled man!_

 _Poison Resistance Level: 1 (0.00%) Passive_  
 _You accomplished something important with poison in your system!_

 _Observe Level: 1 (0.00%) Active_  
 _You actually paid attention to something difficult and used it to your advantage!_

The descriptions on the three new skills felt awfully condescending. Did people in The Gamer have this problem? Wait, was someone fucking with me on purpose? I tensed up and glared at the panel in front of me. When nothing happened, I forced myself to relax with some deep breath. I'd definitely have to think more on that later, but right now, I needed to focus and get through checking the screens.

Right, obvious stuff first. I had more skill slots and my first two skills were a couple of levels up. Trying to remove those skills, by poking, dragging, and demanding so, had no effect. Seems that skills are permanent then.

After thinking it over for a while, I chose to only add " _Observe_ " to my skills. Figured that keeping a slot open for something else could come in handy, and in a world full of ninjas, a high perception could make a big difference.

After a quick look at the " **Quest** " screen revealed nothing new, I swung myself out of bed and stretched. Quietly whispering, " **Observe** ," to the many items around my room, unfortunately, had no effect. Itching to try it out on an actual person instead of laying in bed anymore, I made my way to the door and carefully opened it to an almost empty hallway.

Two nurses were about 10 feet to the left of my door, slowly walking in my direction. The first one, a male with a relaxed posture, had ash-grey hair and round, black rimmed glasses. The second nurse, a female with a stiff back, had short brown hair and a clipboard full of paper. There was something odd about the pair. It was too bad that they were so close; I wouldn't be able to whisper the command for my skill. If only I could **Observe** the two, then...

 _Name: Kabuto a ? Spy ?  
Level: ?_

I blinked in surprise as the panel appeared next to Kabuto. Dumbfounded, I looked away from the floating message, and right into a pair of pitch black eyes. I never saw him move, but I did catch an overly exaggerated sigh from the other nurse. Kabuto's smile was perfectly innocent as he kindly asked, "Do you need some help?"


	9. Settling In 2

Author's Note: Back with another part. Will the SI become strong? In time although it won't be like a typical Jonin. The SI saying he'd be an ally in part 5 was a strategic move. A desperate, rushed, and naive one, but true enough.

* * *

I probably had mere moments to answer Kabuto before the moment got awkward and suspicious. I really should have thought of some reason for leaving my room, but what were the chances of running into Kabuto? I mean, did something get leaked to Orochimaru already? No, couldn't be. If something had, I'd been kidnapped already. Or worse.

Alright, so not the worse case scenario, but not an ideal one. If anything, I had to make sure to give nothing away. Easier said than done with a master ninja spy of all things! Reflecting any suspicion that Kabuto may or may not have would take all the finesse and concentration I could muster. So with a gulp, I said, "Ugh, y-you're a ninja."

Fucking nailed it.

"That's what the headband's for." Kabuto's polite chuckle was good, very much like a cheerful poker face. He seemed so harmless, it was easy to see how others could ignore a guy like that in a world full of flashy, dramatic people. "And you must be our latest refugee."

Caught off guard, I flinched. "What gave it away?"

"You did, just now. Plus, it's not everyday a civilian gets a physical treatment from the Interrogation Force. Everyone in the hospital's talking about you. Wondering just who this mystery man is." The woman behind him coughed into her fist politely. Kabuto chuckled impishly and turned around, starting a quiet conversation with her.

What should I do? Kabuto wasn't hiding his attempt at fishing for information. Did he know why I was here? Maybe I could have sneaked down the hallway, my room, or something while he was distracted, but the moment passed as Kabuto's fellow nurse walked away. With audible steps, Kabuto walked up to me.

And waited.

Despite the pleasant smile he held, Kabuto examined me the same way a cat would its plaything. He knew he was the one in control here. If I hadn't been staring so hard, I would have missed the increasing smug leaking out. We stood together in the hallway until my stomach felt heavy and nauseous. That's when he asked, "I don't mean to pry, but everyone is really curious about you. Think there's anything you could tell me to appease the masses?"

Something about Kabuto's presence left no room for argument. "I'm not sure I can talk about any of that. Sorry."

"Perfectly understandable." But it wasn't, not by that glint in his eyes. Kabuto stepped closer, forcing me to take a step back, and for just a moment, Kabuto's smile showed more teeth than a friendly expression ever should. He reached behind him and slowly pulled forward a scroll. "Why don't we put that aside for now and get back to your room. I need to take some measurements now that you're awake."

I didn't realize fear could make your heart skip beats, but as I looked at Kabuto with a growing sense of dread, I could feel my heart erratically thundering in place. I took a few more steps back, towards the opened door to my room, as Kabuto made his way forward. Something in the back of my mind was yelling at me to run, but something else was keeping me from bolting. A primal instinct versus something else. Something from Kabuto…

 _Skill Unlocked: Danger Sense_

My eyes darted from the panel and back to Kauto rapidly. Interestingly, the less I looked at Kabuto, the calmer my body felt. Another genjutsu, surely, but that wasn't important right now. He was an immediate danger. He knew something. Had to.

Kabuto raised a curious eyebrow and asked, "Is something wrong? You're looking a bit pale."

That cheeky bastard. Shutting my eyes, I forced a deep breath in, accidentally biting my cheek hard enough to draw blood as I struggled to make my jaw work. The amount of pain did not match the amount of blood I was tasting, but I welcomed it. It made my head clearer. As I exhaled, I managed to wheeze, "Will that really be necessary?"

"Of course, it's hospital procedure. You're also not looking too well right now. Take a seat please."

I didn't have much choice; my knees were already bumping the bed. When I sat down, my head began to feel sluggish, my eyelids heavy. As if in fast forward, Kabuto unrolled one of the scrolls on the floor and clapped his hands on it. A poof of smoke later, a table full of various instruments, from masks, gauze, and gloves to scalpels, restraints, and needles, appeared. Snapping on a pair of medical gloves, Kabuto walked next to me and gripped my wrists. Reaching for a clipboard on the table, he scribbled something down and moved on to another test. Eyes, ears, throat, knees, lungs, heart, he went over them all with uncanny efficiency.

He kept smiling, not speaking a word. That is, until he reached for a needle. "That takes care of the standard stuff, but I'd like to take a small blood sample. Run a couple of tests, make sure everything's in order."

"No!" My outburst surprised us both by looks of it, but it was enough to snap me out of my daze. I didn't even want to think about what Kabuto would do with my blood. It took another breath and bite to my cheek before I was ready to talk. "I'm really afraid of needles. I thought you guys had enough blood samples already actually. I-I really don't want to go through another session of _that_ again."

I broke eye contact with Kabuto to grimace at the needle. It was true that I hated needles with a passion, and it was true I didn't want to give up any blood to future Mr. Abomination here. Those were true and hopefully, would help mask the lie.

"I see. Then perhaps, I should go and check on the rest of my patients. Wouldn't want to leave you dry." I nodded, sagged in relief, but did not reply. With just a couple of hand seals, Kabuto packed up. He calmly walked to the door, taking his sweet time. He didn't break his pace or turn around, but he did tilt his head back slightly as crossed the door. "Do remember to take care of yourself Jose. It's dangerous out there."

Fuck me. That didn't feel like a win.


End file.
